The inner self travels along too
When traveling, you shouldn't just think about your ‘home’ and how you sleep, but also about taking care of your inner self. How you do this is a personal choice. One person opts for the many hospitality venues along the way, another combines dining at restaurants with cooking for themselves, another prefers to be completely self-sufficient, and yet another might even prefer surviving on freeze-dried meals.
Stories between the shelves
When I started motorcycle camping, I didn't get much further than grabbing a sandwich at the bakery and stopping at restaurants, cafeterias, or brasseries along the way. It could be quite tasty, but with irritable bowel syndrome, this wasn't always practical. It regularly caused severe, unwanted attacks on the road because I had insufficient control over the ingredients used in preparing the food.
My own preference has therefore become a bit of a combination of providing myself with food and the hospitality establishments I come across along the way. I always find walking through a supermarket looking for breakfast and/or dinner quite interesting. Especially because the products in a local supermarket can sometimes tell quite a lot about the local community.
The basics of every kitchen on the go
To be able to cook for yourself, it is of course handy to have something with you to prepare your food with. Basically, this means the following:
- A heat source;
- Fuel for the heat source;
- Cooking utensils;
- Water.
The spark behind every meal
Naturally, it is nice to be able to heat up a meal. A hot meal can be a pleasant way to end a long day of riding. It also gives you something to do in the evening after setting up your tent. Especially if you have a postcard-worthy view.
There are so many possible choices available on the market when it comes to heat sources. It does depend somewhat on the type of fuel you choose. In terms of fuel, there are also various options. From gas and petrol to methylated spirits or even fuel tablets.
My chosen spark?
My personal choice has remained gas. However, I do prefer Coleman (Performance Gas) gas canisters with a screw thread to connect the burner. The only times gas became somewhat less reliable were during freezing temperatures.
As a burner, I have been using the Vango Folding Stove ever since I started cooking myself. In my opinion, this is a more stable option than a burner screwed directly onto the gas canister. In freezing temperatures, you also have the option to tilt the gas canister to stimulate the flow to the burner.
From the kitchen at home to the mini-kitchen on the go
Naturally, it remains a challenge to prepare a hot meal without any kitchen “tools.” Once again, this is a subject where the choice is vast. Personally, I have been a fan of the brands Sea to Summit and Trangia for years.
My cooking set has actually always been a combination of these two brands, but it has evolved a bit more over the past few years. For instance, I started with just a Trangia frying pan and a Sea to Summit 3-liter X-pot. This combination was fine for me alone, but when I wanted to make something for my husband as well, I soon realized it was on the tight side.
The evolved version of the mini kitchen
The base has been expanded somewhat, but the packing volume has remained roughly the same. It is still a combination of the Trangia frying pan, but now with the Sea to Summit 5-liter X-pot, a Sea to Summit collapsible kettle, and the Sea to Summit X-cup. All of this packs down to the size of about a frisbee.
Naturally, my mini kitchen comes with some additional “essential” items. For instance, I quickly learned that stirring in a hot pan with a plastic spoon wasn't very practical. A simple wooden ladle, on the other hand, is much more reliable.
Furthermore, I have an extra windbreak to protect the burner, which sometimes also serves as a coaster. I also always bring a small plate and a cutting board. The plate is packed along with the “frisbee.” Naturally, I also include a small bag of various herbs, oil, pepper, and salt.
Essential hydration
Ultimately, water is more important than food. Dehydration is more dangerous for humans than going a day without food. It is therefore important to carry sufficient drinking water with you.
In the past, I used to carry this as standard in separate bottles, but in recent years I have started using a so-called camelbag. This is a backpack containing a hydration bladder with a tube. This way, I can also drink while riding if necessary and generally have enough water with me for a full day. In my case, I can easily carry 3 liters.
My culinary conclusion?
A home-cooked meal remains my preference. Fresh ingredients and trying local products make a flavourful addition while traveling and camping.
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